One-dimensional Europium-coordination polymer as luminescent sensor for highly selective and sensitive detection of 2,4,6-trinitrophenol

•A Eu-based fluorescent probe was synthesized based on a flexible carboxylic acid.•It has high selectivity and sensitivity to TNP in acetonitrile.•The quenching constant and low detection limit is 2.6 × 104 M−1 and 3.39 μM, respectively.•The first example of function-oriented lanthanide luminescent sensor with formyl group as hydrogen-bonding site in the detection of TNP.